Thursday, 2nd May 2019 The Sagrada Familia is perhaps the more famous basilica, but Barcelona also has its own gothic cathedral: officially known as the Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica of Barcelona. Work started in 1298 and there are rows of secondary chapels within the buttresses as well as a cimborio – an octagonal lantern built over the crossing of a gothic cathedral. The entry fee includes a lift to the roof for the panoramic views . . . . . . and there is also a secluded cloister, with a pond which would have been a haven of peace and quiet were it not for the 13 white geese who are kept here, representing Saint Eulalia’s age when she was martyred. When we visited there seemed to be some rather loud and unsaintly goose behaviour going on. We had pre-booked our tickets for the Sagrada Familia, but as this is obviously a very popular attraction, we were limited to tickets quite late in the afternoon. You are advised to arrive 15 minutes before your allotted entry time to allow for the strict security checks. No liquids are allowed and bags and ruc sacs have to go through an airport security style […]
Daily Archives: 19/05/2019
Wednesday, 1st May 2019 Returning by train to Barcelona, we had again planned ahead and booked tickets online, this time to visit the Palau de la Musica Catalana in the afternoon. This beautiful modernist building was designed by Lluís Domènech i Montaner as a venue for the Orfeo Catala to perform a repertoire of Catalan choral music. Located on the site of a former monastery, the building is compact and views of the exterior were limited by the proximity of the surrounding buildings. However, in 2003 the parish church adjacent to the Palau which was originally part of the monastery, was demolished to allow for extensions to the Palau and you can now sit in a square drinking coffee and admiring the huge stained glass windows designed by Domènech. Opened in 1908, the facade features an imposing sculpture, almost like the figurehead on the prow of a ship, showing Saint George [the patron saint of both Catalonia and England] looking protective above an allegory of popular music. The concert hall itself is lavishly decorated with sculptures, stained glass and mosaics. This is an unusual concert hall with natural light streaming in through stained glass windows and an enormous skylight […]